Control systems for water-sports watercraft

Abstract

An adjustable surf wake system can enhance a wake formed by a watercraft travelling through water. A rider control device can enable a rider to control the wake of the watercraft while riding the wake, such as for wake surfing. The rider can adjust the speed of the watercraft, can adjust the height of the wake, and/or can change the watercraft between a surf-left configuration and a surf-right configuration. The rider control device can include a position sensor. A drone can position a camera based on the position sensor of the rider control device for filming the rider.

1 .- 48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . A system comprising:
 a water-sports boat comprising:
 a hull; and 
 an engine configured to move the hull through water to produce a wake; 
   a rider device comprising:
 a securement element configured to couple the rider device to a rider; 
 a position sensor for determining a position of the rider device; 
   a drone comprising:
 a propulsion system configured to cause the drone to fly through the air; and 
 a camera; 
 wherein the drone is configured to position the camera based at least in part on the position of the rider device. 
   
     
     
         50 . The surf system of  claim 49 , wherein the positon sensor of the rider device comprises a global positioning system (GPS). 
     
     
         51 . The surf system of  claim 49 , wherein the drone has a position sensor for determining a position of the drone, and wherein the drone is configured to position the camera based at least in part on the position of the drone. 
     
     
         52 . The surf system of  claim 51 , wherein the positon sensor of the drone comprises a global positioning system (GPS). 
     
     
         53 . The surf system of  claim 49 , wherein the water-sports boat comprises a position sensor for determining a position of the water-sports boat, and wherein the drone is configured to position the camera based at least in part on the position of the water-sports boat. 
     
     
         54 . The surf system of  claim 49 , wherein the drone comprises an actuator configured to move the camera relative to a body of the drone based at least in part on the position of the rider device. 
     
     
         55 . The surf system of  claim 49 , wherein the drone is configured to operate the propulsion system to move the drone to position the camera based at least in part on the position of the rider device. 
     
     
         56 . The surf system of  claim 49 , wherein the water-sports boat comprises a landing location and one or more imaging markers positioned at one or more locations relative to the landing location, wherein the drone comprises a sensor configured to image the one or more imaging markers, and wherein the propulsion system of the drone is operable to navigate the drone to the landing location based at least in part signals from the sensor imaging the one or more imaging markers. 
     
     
         57 . The surf system of  claim 56 , wherein the one or more imaging markers comprise one or more infrared light sources, and wherein the sensor comprises an infrared imaging sensor. 
     
     
         58 . The surf system of  claim 56 , wherein the camera of the drone comprises the sensor. 
     
     
         59 . The surf system of  claim 56 , wherein the sensor is an imaging sensor separate from the camera of the drone. 
     
     
         60 . The surf system of  claim 56 , wherein at least one of the one or more imaging markers is positioned at a center portion of the landing location. 
     
     
         61 . A wake surf system configured to allow a wake surf rider to switch a wake of a water-sports boat from a port-side surf configuration to a starboard-side surf configuration or from the starboard-side surf configuration to the port-side surf configuration while surfing on the wake of the water-sports boat, the wake surf system comprising:
 a water-sports boat comprising:
 a hull configured to produce a wake having a port-side wave and a starboard-side wave that diverge when the hull moves through water; 
 one or more movable wake modifiers configured to enhance the port-side wave to produce a port-side surf configuration when the one or more wake modifiers are position in a first configuration and to enhance the starboard-side wave to produce a starboard-side surf configuration when the one or more wake modifiers are positioned in a second configuration; 
 one or more actuators configured to move the one or more wake modifiers between the first configuration and the second configuration; and 
 a wireless communication interface; and 
   a rider control device comprising:
 a user interface comprising a switch-surf-side user input element; and 
 a wireless communication interface configured to wirelessly communicate commands from the rider control device to the wireless communication interface of the water-sports boat; 
   wherein actuation of the switch-surf-side user input element when the watersports boat is in the port-side surf configuration causes the one or more actuators to move the one or more wake modifiers from the first configuration to the second configuration to switch from the port-side surf configuration to the starboard-side surf configuration, and wherein actuation of the same switch-surf-side user input element when the watersports boat is in the starboard-side surf configuration causes the one or more actuators to move the one or more wake modifiers from the second configuration to the first configuration to switch from the starboard-side surf configuration to the port-side surf configuration.   
     
     
         62 . The wake surf system of  claim 61 , wherein the user interface of the rider control device is configured to receive boat speed control commands, and wherein the water-sports boat is responsive to the boat speed control commands to change the boat speed. 
     
     
         63 . The wake surf system of  claim 61 , wherein the rider control device is waterproof and buoyant to float in water. 
     
     
         64 . The wake surf system of  claim 61 , configured to switch from the port-side surf configuration to the starboard-side surf configuration or from the starboard-side surf configuration to the port-side surf configuration while the water-sports boat hull is moving through water. 
     
     
         65 . The wake surf system of  claim 61 , wherein the one or more wake modifiers comprise:
 a port-side flap movable between a non-deployed position and a deployed position; and   a starboard-side flap movable between a non-deployed position and a deployed position;   wherein the one or more actuators are configured to position the port-side flap in the non-deployed position and the starboard-side flap in the deployed position to produce the port-side surf configuration, and wherein the one or more actuators are configured to position the port-side flap in the deployed position and the starboard-side flap in the non-deployed position to produce the starboard-side surf configuration.   
     
     
         66 . The wake surf system of  claim 61 , wherein:
 the water-sports boat comprises a driver user interface;   the rider control device comprises a securement element configured to couple the rider control device to the rider;   the system comprises a proximity sensor configured to determine a distance between the water-sports boat and the rider control device; and   the driver user interface is configured to output a notification to the driver when a distance between the water-sports boat and the rider control device is above a threshold distance.   
     
     
         67 . The system of  claim 66 , wherein the proximity sensor comprises a global positioning system (GPS) on the rider control device and a global positioning system (GPS) on the water-sports boat. 
     
     
         68 . The wake surf system of  claim 61 , wherein the rider control device comprises a display for outputting visual information to the rider. 
     
     
         69 . The wake surf system of  claim 68 , wherein:
 the water-sports boat comprises a cruise control system configured to control the engine of the water-sports boat to move the hull through water at a cruise speed;   the rider control device is configured to receive a command from the rider to change the cruise speed to a new cruise speed;   the cruise control system is configured to change to the new cruise speed in response to the command received from the rider device; and   the display on the rider control device is configured to show the current speed and/or the target speed.   
     
     
         70 . The wake surf system of  claim 68 , wherein:
 the water-sports boat comprises at least one wake-modifying device configured to move to adjust a height of the wake;   the rider device is configured to receive a command from the rider to change the position of the wake-modifying device;   the at least one wake-modifying device is responsive to the command received from the rider device to move the at least one wake-modifying device; and   the display on the rider control device is configured to show a position of the wake-modifying device.   
     
     
         71 . The wake surf system of  claim 68 , wherein:
 the water-sports boat comprises a sound system that includes speakers configured to direct sound rearward of the water-sports boat to the rider;   the rider control device is configured to receive music control commands from the rider;   the sound system is configured to change music output by the speakers in response to the music control commands; and   the display on the rider control device is configured to show music information and/or volume.